How many pueblos are there

In these villages, old traditions such as ritual dances and artistic craftwork are maintained. Although generally open to visitors, pueblos do tend to treat strangers with some reserve; therefore, please remember that you should not photograph or film inside the pueblos except with express permission.

To help you learn more about these fascinating communities before paying a visit, be sure to check out our visitor's guide to the Native American Pueblos of New Mexico. Note: Some businesses may be temporarily closed due to recent global health and safety issues. Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. Just north of the modern Town of Taos is Taos Pueblo, which has been continuously and exclusively occupied for at least 1, years and has preserved much of its character as a pueblo in the purest form.

Around the central plaza are fortress-like houses in the oldest adobe style, built only of clay and straw, without fired bricks, and housing some residents. Particularly notable are the multi-storied houses and domed ovens for baking bread. Residents are still strongly attached to their traditions, and the pueblo tends to be quite reserved.

Visitors are welcome during the day and on special occasions announced on the pueblo's website. The guided tours are outstanding. Kewa Pueblo, New Mexico U. The pueblo is well known for its jewelry production, pottery, and handicrafts, as well as the great importance placed on time-honored religious institutions and social structures. Santo Domingo jewelers tend to travel far and wide with their wares, which is one of the reasons the pueblo is so well known.

Despite the conservative nature of the pueblo, they do welcome visitors for the Corn Dance and Sandaro , as well as Christmas and Easter ceremonies.

The Mission Santo Domingo church was completed in on the site of an earlier church destroyed in the Pueblo revolt of the late s. Photography and other recording is not permitted.

Cochiti Pueblo, New Mexico. Cochiti Pueblo is located about 50 miles north of Albuquerque and 35 miles southwest of Santa Fe. Covering over 50, acres, the pueblo is home to about 1, individuals, most of them farmers and ranchers. Cochiti has worked hard to maintain the native language of Keres, as well as traditional practices and religion. Like the nearby Kewa Pueblo, Cochiti is well known for its unique style of jewelry, as well as its special pottery styles and handmade drums.

Cochiti is generally open every day, although they do close for certain ceremonies. Photography and other recordings are strictly prohibited. Jemez Pueblo, New Mexico. Situated among the stunning red cliffs of San Diego Canyon in the Jemez mountains northwest of Albuquerque, Jemez Pueblo is tiny, with only about 2, tribal members.

The village itself is closed to visitors, and ceremonies are not publicized. The Walatowa Visitor Center at Jemez Pueblo, however, offers information about the pueblo and the surrounding area, as well as historic photographs. Jemez is known for its ceremonial use of running foot races to mark special events and to aid in the growth of crops. It is also known for its return to traditional food sources as a way to combat modern diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

One of the six Tewa-speaking pueblos of the Rio Grande corridor, Pojoaque has been inhabited in one form or another for about 1, years—reaching its apex in the s. The Tewa name for the pueblo means "a place to gather and drink water. Pojoaque is currently enjoying tremendous economic growth, and the permanent collection of traditional Pueblo arts and crafts is a definite attraction at the Poeh Cultural Center and Museum.

Visitors are welcome, and there are traditional dances on some weekends in the summer. San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico. Located right at the base of the Pajarito Plateau along the Rio Grande, San Ildefonso is best known for the amazing black-on-black pottery style that originated there. Today, those pots are considered a hot item among fine art collectors. Besides the pots, this small pueblo of some people is also known for its watercolor painters and jewelers.

With a population of about 7,, Laguna Pueblo is the largest Keresan-speaking pueblo. Historians believe the ancestors of the pueblo have occupied the Laguna homelands since at least A. Pueblo history teaches the occupation since time immemorial. The area around the villages produced evidence that archaic Native people lived there as far back as B.

When the Spanish arrived in the s, they found an agrarian lifestyle and sophisticated system of self-governance. Grant on May 27, Prior to the reservation period, the Mescalero people were nomadic hunters and gathers and roamed the Southwest.

The Apachean tribes were historically very powerful, constantly at enmity with the Spaniards and Mexicans for centuries. The first Apache raids on Sonora appear to have taken place during the late 17th century.

The U. Army, in their various confrontations, found them to be fierce warriors and skillful strategists. They were experts in guerilla warfare and highly skilled horsemen. The women were known for their ability to find and prepare food from many different plant sources.

The largest U. Indian tribe, the Navajo Nation consists of more than , members, about , of whom live in New Mexico. The reservation includes approximately 27, square miles. Its boundaries extend from northwestern New Mexico into northeastern Arizona and southeastern Utah, a combined area larger than many U.

Three smaller bands of Navajos are also located away from the main reservation boundaries at Alamo, To'hajiilee and Ramah. Traditionally, San Juan O'ke in Tewa was the center of an Indian meeting ground, its people so powerful that only an O'ke native could declare war for the Pueblo Indians.

It is one of the largest Tewa-speaking pueblos with a population of about 6, Today, the pueblo is the headquarters of the Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Council and home to the Oke-Oweenge Crafts Cooperative, , which exhibits the art of the eight northern pueblos. The main art focus of this Tewa village is redware pottery, weaving and painting. The fair features pottery, painting, beadwork, jewelry, weavings and more.

Pojoaque was almost destroyed by war and disease, but in the s, survivors returned and fenced off their lands, evicting squatters. Today, about 2, people live on pueblo lands.

Tribal enterprises include the Cities of Gold Casino, , www. The Poeh Cultural Center features Pueblo art and exhibits, hosts traditional Indian dances on weekends and preserves the traditional arts of the Tewa-speaking pueblos. It also houses an information center and the largest Indian arts and crafts shop in northern New Mexico.

The mountains glow with a deep red color at sunset, which the Spanish likened to sandia, the Spanish word for watermelon. The pueblo was deserted in , when the residents fled to Hopi Pueblo during the Pueblo Revolt. The people of Sandia did not return until the mids; their old village is evident in ruins near the church. Keresan is the Pueblo of San Felipe's native language and the Keres language continues to be a living language, taught and spoken by San Felipe families and elders.

The pueblo's today totals about 3, There are no services in the village except during ceremonials, when food and crafts booths spring up near San Felipe Church at the foot of Black Mesa. Historians believe the original San Ildefonso people abandoned their original villages at Mesa Verde and Bandelier due to drastic changes in the environment. Today, the pueblo is a flourishing art community with about 1, residents.

It was the home of the late Maria Martinez, who along with her husband, Julian, developed the world-renowned, black-on-black pottery with black matte designs. The San Ildefonso Pueblo Museum, , also displays traditional crafts. With an average of 20, visitors each year, San Ildefonso is one of the most visited pueblos in the state. The Santa Ana Pueblo people, who have occupied their current site in central New Mexico since at least the late s, believe their ancestors originated from a subterranean world to the north.

The first Spaniards to explore pueblo country arrived in the s. Santa Ana, then called Tamaya, submitted to Spanish rule in and was assigned the patron saint by which it has since become known. After the Pueblo Revolt of , the returning Spanish, anxious to reconquer the pueblos, forced the Santa Anans to flee their village to the nearby Black Mesa and Jemez Mountains.

Tamaya, the Old Santa Ana Pueblo, was established after the reconquest of the territory in the late s. Santa Clara Pueblo offers visitors a number of highly diverse attractions, from tours of the pre-historic cliff dwellings of Puye to sightseeing, fishing and camping in the nearby canyon. Because Santa Clara Pueblo has such a large land base, with a wide variety of geographic features , it was possible to make good use of the natural resources for recreational purposes.

There are few places in New Mexico that con compare with the majestic beauty of the landscape of the homelands of the Santa Clara people. The splendor of the scenery are justly famous in the Southwest. The Santa Clara Pueblo has emerged with a strong tribal government and a prosperous economy.

Santo Domingo Pueblo also known as Kewa Pueblo is located near the ancient Cerrillos turquoise mines and its people have an entrenched history of making fine jewelry and heishi out of the colorful stones. The Kewa people historically are great traders of their crafts, very much like their Mesa Verde and Chaco Canyon ancestors.

Taos Pueblo, also known as the place of the red willows, sits at the base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The village, which is one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in North America, was designated a World Heritage Site and a National Historic Site in The adobe, multi-storied homes of Taos Pueblo have captivated painters and photographers since the s, when an artist colony formed in nearby Taos and virtually established Southwest art.

It helped inspire the Pueblo Revival style of architecture in contemporary New Mexico. Situated in the soft red-brown foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Tesuque Pueblo has stood on its present location since A. As such, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

There are many fine artists at Tesuque who create pottery, paintings and sculpture. Silverwork and traditional clothing are also made at the pueblo. To anyone traveling along the road eighteen miles northwest of Bernalillo, New Mexico, Zia Pueblo is almost invisible. It is situated on a rocky knoll, where it blends into the landscape like a natural feature of the terrain. The Pojoaque Pueblo Tourist Center displays and sells locally produced Native art and other souvenirs.

The pueblo's feast days are December 11 and 12, and January 6. If you have any questions, please contact dmoya poehcenter. Sandia Pueblo, located 14 miles north of Albuquerque, is visible from I but must be accessed off NM Sandia has been in existence at its present site since as early as A. Pueblo land elevations range from 5, feet in the Rio Grande Valley to 8, feet in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains.

Visitors are welcome to Sandia Pueblo's annual feast day on June The Pueblo owns and operates three enterprises: 1 Sandia Lakes Recreation Area , located 15 minutes from downtown Albuquerque, with fishing, picnicking, nature trails and a bait and tackle shop. San Felipe Pueblo is situated 30 miles northwest of Albuquerque off and about 10 miles north of Bernalillo. The present pueblo was founded during the early 18th century and today still retains its traditional customs.

Outsiders are generally not encouraged to visit, but the pueblo does welcome visitors to the Annual Feast Day on May 1. Innovative pottery and some jewelry forms are produced by pueblo members. Tribal-operated gaming is available at San Felipe Casino Hollywood. San Ildefonso has been located at its present site, 20 miles northwest of Santa Fe off NM, the road to Los Alamos, since the late s. Beautifully situated on the eastern bank of the Rio Grande, San Ildefonso is very well known for its black-on-black pottery which commands the respect of fine art collectors worldwide.

Some dances are open to the public throughout the year; of particular importance is the Buffalo-Deer Dance, which takes place on San Ildefonso's feast day. A museum displays local arts and crafts. The Visitors Center can provide additional information and direct people to craft shops in the pueblo.

Fishing is available at the lake. Certain areas of the pueblo are off limits. Groups: Advance notice required For dance and other information, please contact the Visitor Center prior to arrival. Santa Ana is a small pueblo with a rich history dating back over 1, years. The people of Santa Ana take pride in being one of the more progressive economically.

The pueblo has become a multi-faceted corporation, with enterprises such as the Tamaya Cooperative selling traditional items including pottery and textiles , a garden center, Blue Corn Enterprises, fine dining restaurants and 45 holes of championship golf.

At Santa Ana, culture and land are one. The pueblo's Tourist Information Office provides information on the pueblo and directions to various arts and crafts shops. Santa Clara is known for its highly polished black and red pottery and its outstanding painters and sculptors.

Several dances and festivals, such as the Buffalo and Corn Dance, are open to the public. Additionally, the pueblo offers fishing and camping in the Canyon Recreational Area. The beauty of the pueblo's archaeological sites and the splendor of its scenery are famous in the Southwest. Tribal operated gaming is available at Big Rock Casino Bowl. Monday-Friday Admission: No general access fees, but fees must be paid to visit the Puye Cliffs and for artistic pursuits. Photo Fee: Photo fee.

Certain areas of the pueblo are restricted. Group: Puye Cliffs and Canyon closed; call governor's office for information. Life in Santo Domingo has altered little since the arrival of the Europeans. Great emphasis is placed on the pueblo's religious organization, which is the core of its social structure, and on the passing on of its native language Keres , customs, dances and songs.

The pueblo is known for its fine heishi and turquoise, other stones and silver, and strictly traditional pottery. The pueblo is open to visitors for its annual feast day in August. Contact tribal office for weekend arrangements. Photography: Cameras, camcorder and sketching are not permitted. Groups: Call governor's office. Taos Pueblo is one of New Mexico's most authentic examples of pueblo architecture and tradition.

Taos Pueblo, with Mount Wheeler — the highest mountain of New Mexico — as its backdrop, is known for its prime scenery, farmland and hunting. Taos is also known for the drum-making and leather work of its artisans, and its fine dancers, who are admired widely. Visitors are welcome. Tribal-operated gaming is available at Taos Mountain Casino. Hours: Summer 8 a. No photography allowed on feast days. Groups: Advance notice required.

Storyteller guides available. Pueblo artists specialize in brightly colored pottery based on traditional designs, and modeled figurines decorated with lively designs, which are widely collected by pueblo art aficionados.

The most popular Tesuque dances, the Harvest, Deer and Buffalo, are held in winter. Gaming is available at Camel Rock Casino. Zia Pueblo blends into the landscape atop its rocky knoll, 18 miles northwest of Bernalillo on NM, where it has been located — almost invisibly — since A.